Brave Giants Fall in Shootout in Sheffield

Jordan Kawaguchi put the Giants ahead on the powerplay early in the game and Barriga’s late strike forced the extra period and the shoot-out, but Mitchell Balmas scored three times in the shoot-out to earn the home side the extra point in this Elite League clash.

First period

The Giants got off to the perfect start just 3:23 into the game as they pulled ahead through Kawaguchi on the powerplay, back-to-back calls on Mark Simpson (hooking) and Brien Diffley (high sticking) put Belfast on an extended man advantage and the winger fired home from the left circle on the turn, beating Matt Greenfield shortside (0-1).

That kicked the Steelers into life though, and Tom McCollum had to be alert to turn away two big chances for the home side as first Finlay Ulrick fired on goal on the backhand before Balmas drove into the left circle and fired into the midriff of the netminder.

A late flurry of chances on both sides led to Mark Cooper firing into the side of the net with a wicked one-timer, while Ulrick had another chance in close and was frozen by McCollum and then the goaltender came up with two massive stops on Marc-Olivier Vallerand, both of the Steelers winger’s shots coming from the right circle.

Second period

Having soaked up a lot of first period pressure, back-to-back penalties to Gabe Bast (hooking) and Bo Hanson (delay of game) left the Giants on a lengthy kill and although McCollum did well to deny another Vallerand one-timer, Daniel Leavens got the equaliser at 26:00 as Mikko Juusola found him at the crease and he squeezed it through the goaltender’s pads (1-1).

Belfast was presented with a big chance to go back ahead when Robert Dowd was called for boarding and then, while he was in the box, Daniel Ciampini was also penalised for cross-checking giving the Giants four straight minutes of powerplay time, but they couldn’t beat Greenfield despite their best efforts, Sheffield producing some key blocks.

Both sides had opportunities to pull ahead at the second intermission and once again it was Vallerand who had the chance for the Steelers as he shot wide from the slot after a pass back in front, while J.J. Piccinich had a huge chance on the rush as he was found by the backhand pass of Scott Conway, only for Greenfield to get behind the shot and deny him.

Third period

Once more the first chance of the period fell to Vallerand, who seized on a loose pass in the Giants defensive zone and fired on goal only to be denied by McCollum, and there was a degree of good fortune for the visitors as Ciampini hit the underside of the crossbar but the puck rebounded away.

But the pressure would finally tell and the Steelers would find the go-ahead goal at 47:46 as Patrick Watling drove the pass to the crease for Balmas and the winger was able to tip it in (2-1), and the same man nearly finished the game off as a contest when he skated in with Watling on the odd-man rush but fired wide of the net.

It looked like the Giants’ best chance to tie the game passed them by when Kyle Osterberg threw the puck back in front for the trailing Josh Roach but he could only fire it into the body of Greenfield, but instead they did force overtime as once again Roach drove towards goal and when the puck was swept away by a Steelers stick it fell right onto the stick of Barriga who tapped in at 56:11 (2-2).

Overtime

A thrilling period of overtime saw both sides have huge chances to win the game, Kawaguchi and Barriga both denied by Greenfield on clean breakaways while at the other end Robert Dowd hit the post on the rebound and Kevin Tansey struck the crossbar from a tight angle, but neither side could find the goal to win it before the shoot-out.

Shoot-out

It would need sudden death to decide the game as both Balmas and Conway scored their shots in the first five goes and although Ben Lake kept the game alive after Balmas scored Sheffield’s first sudden death shot, the Steelers winger would score again with the next shot and when Greenfield denied Conway, it was game over.

Next up

Next up, the Stena Line Belfast Giants are back on home ice at The SSE Arena, Belfast to continue their Elite League campaign when they take on the Cardiff Devils on Saturday 5 October. Tickets available here.